Picker-stick check.



M. F. FIELD.

PICKER STICK CHECK.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4. 1918.

l ,286,57Q. Patent ed Dec. 3, 1918.

jw/erx @M W 7% i g /am fi w x YhE noun: warms cm. Pnmumm. msmucmu. n. c,

's'rATEs PICKER-STICK CHECK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILLARD F. Finn), a citizen of the United States, residing :1 Winthrop, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Picker- Stick Checks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. Y

My invention relates to picker-stick checks for looms and it hasfor its object to provide an improved check of that type which comprises two members supported at opposite sides of the picker-stick slot and yieldingly engaging opposite sides of the stick to stop thelatter when it is driven outward by the shuttle.

My improved picker-stick check comprises two stick-engaging jaws independently or separately supported on the lay of the loom at opposite sides ofthe. path of travel of the picker-stick, with provision for either independent or conjoint swinging movement I transversely thereof, but connected together so as to yieldingly stand in the path of the stickby means that is carried by said jaws themselves; By this construction ,the sidewisepressure of the two jaws onthe stick, when the latter is driven between them, is equalized, while at the same time the acting portions of the check are permitted to adjust themselves either forwardor rearward so as to conform to the plane of movement to which thepicker-stick is confined by reason of the engagement of the shuttle-tip within the cavity formed in the acting face of the picker carried thereby, so that the stick is not deflected out of its course against or toward either side of the slot by the check.

. vention;

By providing separate supports for the jaws, one at each side of the 'plan'e'of movement of the stick, the check automatically adjusts itself bodily sidewise to the plane of movement of the stick, with practically no side thrust on the stick even though the path of travel of the latter may vary or change during different picks of the loom as is usually the case.

Other features of my inafter pointed out. 1 Figure 1 is anelevationof a portion of the lay of a loom equipped wtih a picker-stick check constructed in accordance with my ininvention are here- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 4, 1918. Serial No. 215,229.

Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2, of Fig. 1 showing the condition of the jaws when the picker-stick is not in position between them.

Fig. 3 isa section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but show-' ing the picker-stick in position between the aws.

Fig. 5 shows amodification.

Having reference to the drawings, 1 represents a-portion of the lay-beam of a loom, and 2 the picker-stick which swings back and forth as usual in the slot indicated by dotted lines at 3 in Fig. 2. When the shut tle, not shown, is thrown through the 'shed from right to left, Fig. 1, itfinds the pickerstick 2 part-way advanced toward the righthand end of slot 3 and. striking the pickerstick drives it quickly and forcibly toward the outer end of the lay-beam. In order to check this sharp outward swing of the stick it is customary to provide aIpicker-stick check or buffer upon the under side of the lay near the outer end of the slot 3. 'The form of my'improved check that is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and l'includes a pair of jaws 4: and 5' arranged opposite each other upon the under side of the lay-beam 1 and at opposite sides of slot 8. These jawsg4: and 5 preferably are made from wood and formed near their inner ends with holes 6 (Fig. 3') through them, within which are driven metal bushings '7. Screws 8 extend ing loosely through these bushings are drlven into the lay-beam 1 and serve to pivotally support the jaws. Between the jaws 4 and 5 and lay-beam 1 is a metal yoke 9 against which said jaws are held bythe said screws 8, the arms of said yoke being made with holes through them for the screws 8 andfor another pairfof screws 22. The screws 22 extend only through the yoke 9 and serve to firmly hold the latter in posi tion against the under side of lay-beam 1, While the screws 8, which extend through both the jaws and the yoke into the laybeam, are not driven in tight enough to in.- terfere with free swinging moveme'ntof the aws.

Each jaw 4 and 5 is slitted longitudinally near each side for a portion of its length to provide upon its exterior two resilient blades 10 and 11, the two innerblades 10', 10, of the pair of jaws being held against a jawcent'eringlug 12 on yoke 9 by a flexible strap or band'l3, This strap or band has one end fixed in position against the outer side of jaw 4 by means of a fastener 14, from which said band extends around the free ends of both jaws. The opposite end of strap or band 13 is engaged by a hook 15hav1ng a I threaded shank 16 extending through a screw-eye 17 (Figs. 3 and 4) driven into jaw 5 from the outer side thereof, said shank 16 being provided with a thumb-nut 18 tension of their pivots more or less. This pressure of.

the stick against the-jaws stretches the band 13 taut and also flexesthe blades10 and 11 with the result that, the outward movement I of the stick is stopped and the shock of the V i the slits of the jaws are'closed and" band 13 blow delivered by thestick is absorbedby the blades and band;

VThe stick first strikes the blades 10 near the base of the latter and relatively near the jaw pivots 8 so thatsaid blades and band '13 offer-their greatest effective. resistance to the entrance of the stickwhen the momentum of the shuttle and the latter is greatest, but as the stick under progressively slackening speed forces its way in between the jaws it moves nearer the free ends of the blades 10 and farther away from pivots 8, with the result that the. gripping action of the check remains fairly constant until isstretchedtaut, whereupon the stick and shuttle are definitely stopped. It will be observed vthat the frictional engagement of band 13 withtheends of jawsfil and 5ofl'ers a yielding resistance to the spreading of the jaws which supplements the yielding resistance offeredthe stick by the resilient blades 10 and 11.

Fig. 5 shows a modification in which the two pivotally supported stick engaging jaws 4 and 5 respectively are made solid, and a flexible elastic connector is provided for the free ends of said jaws consisting of a band 13, preferably of leather, having one end thereof secured by fasteners 13 to jaw 4 and a spring 181 having one end thereof engaged with the opposite end of band 13 and its opposite end engaged with the eye 19 of a screw eye 21,the stem of which extends through a hole in a lug projecting from the jaw 5 and is. provided with an adjusting nut 20'. a

My improved picker-stick check is of very simple and durable construction and 'will lasta great length-of time even under continuous use. Also it is light and does not add materially toithe weight of the lay. It has-the further advantage, also, that its jaws ,and band are made'from materials that are readily obtainable and easily-worked so that repairs or replacements of parts can be quickly and easily made.

What is claimed as the invention is 1. A picker-stick check comprising a pair of members respectively having at the front and rear ofthe slot in which the picker-stick works mountings on which they are adapted to turn, and a connector for the said members carried'by and moving with the latter causing them to, move in unison in "con-J forming to the line in which the picker-stick is'moving, and keeping the clamping pres-- sure of the'tWo members against the interposed-picker-stick equal at both sides of said stick.

2. A picker-stick checkcomprising mempivotal mountings under the influence of the stick, and means. carried bythe'said jaws and moving-therewith connecting them together yieldingly to move in unison in conformingto theline in which the picker-stick is moving, the said construction rendering thekaction equal against 'both sides of the stic A 4. A picker-stick check'comprising a pair of wooden jaws arranged alongside of each other and adapted to engage opposite sides of the stick, each of said jaws being slitted longitudinally for a part of its length to provide it with an integral resilient blade; means on said jaws for holding adjacent ends thereof together so as to cause said jaws to yieldingly stop the stick when it is driven between them, and means for pivotally supporting the opposite ends of said aws at opposite sides of the picker-stick slot, said jaws being movable laterally together under the influence of the stick.

5. A picker-stick check comprising a pair of jaws arranged alongside of each other and adapted to engage opposite sides of the stick; means on said jaws for holding adjacent ends thereof together so as to cause saidjaws to yieldingly stop the stick when it is driven between them, said means consisting of a flexible bandextendin'g around the ends of both jaws and having its ends each fastened toone of the latter, and means for pivotally supporting the opposite ends of said jaws at opposite sides of the pickerstick slot so that they can swing laterally together under the influence of the stick.

6. A picker-stick check comprising a pair of jaws arranged alongside of each other and adapted to engage opposite sides of the stick; means on said jaws for holding adjacent ends thereof together so as to cause said jaws to yieldingly stop the stick when it is driven between them, said holding means consisting of a flexible band extending around the ends of both jaws having oneend fastened. to one jaw and the opposite end adjustably connected with the other jaw, and means for pivotally supporting the opposite ends of said jaws at opposite sides of the picker-stick slot, so that the jaws can swing laterally together under the in presence of two witnesses.

MILLARD F. FIELD.

influence of the stick. I n

7 A picker-stick check comprising a pair of. jaws arranged alongside of each other and adapted to engage opposite sides of the stick, said jaws each consisting of a bar Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the of wood longitudinally slitted for a part of its length to provide an integral resilient stick-engaging bladeupon its inner side; means on said jaws for holding adjacent ends thereof together so as to cause said jaws to yieldingly stop the stick when it is driven between them, and means pivotally' supporting the opposite ends of said jaws at opposite sides of the picker-stick slot so that they are movable laterally together on their pivots under the influence of the stick, said jaw-holding means consisting of a flexible band fastened at one end to one of said jaws and extending around the ends of both jaws, and an adjustable connection fastening the other end of said band to the other aw. J In testimony whereof I aflix my signature Witnesses:

CHAS. F. RANDALL, ELLEN 0. SPRING.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

